Maybe, This Time?

Part 2 : Closure

"can you sleep in my room tonight? I just don't feel safe tonight. It must've been the caffeine. I don't know" she pleaded Matti when he was about to get out from her unit.

"yeah, sure. I'll just go and get changed first then I'll come to your room. Is that okay?" she nodded.

They're used to sleeping with each other. It's nothing malicious to them. No one knew about this and people don't even have to know. They became very comfortable with each other. It's as if they're siblings.

"scratch my back for me, please?" she turned her back against him.

"anything for my kitten" he smirked and scratched her back.

Matti first knew that scratching her back would make her fall asleep easily, and quicker, the first time he slept with her in her room. Ella herself didn't know that it felt really good and made her drift to sleep easily.

As Matti knew that she's asleep, he tried to sleep as well. But sleeping next to the girl whom he had a huge crush on is pretty hard especially when the person who's occupying your heart and mind is right there, next to you, sleeping!

Before he closed his eyes, he felt that Ella turned her back and is now facing him; still sleeping. Matti stared into her sleeping face. Her angelic face, as Matti would describe it.

How could his heart get calmer when their faces are just a few inches apart! His gaze fell onto her lips. He's now even tempted to kiss her.

"Oh, Ella! Why do you have a huge impact on me?" he whispered while caressing her right cheek.

"No, Matti . . . Must. Keep. Calm. Ugh . . . shit!" He breathed.

He tried to fix his position into a comfortable state. He needs to think straight. Boys would understand how and what he's feeling right now. It's kind of a man thing.

"Good night, Ariella. I don't even know how to sleep properly now." he quietly chuckled.

"I love you" he whispered and stole a kiss from her, without waking her up.

Way to go, Matti!

__

"Do you still love her?" Ariella asked out of the blue. They are currently in a bar. It's not a club kind of bar. Just liquors and a comfy place to chill.

"Olivia?" he asked.

"Yeah. Still?"

"I don't think so anymore. It has been a long time. I've moved on. But I'm not ready for any relationships now." Ariella nodded.

"And, I've become a better man now. After the 'almost being a father' incident, I repented. I tried to fix myself." He continued.

"How?" she took a few sips on her beer.

"I went out of Singapore for 3 months. I said to myself that I want to find my true identity. I even went back to The Philippines just to visit my family and spent quality time with them before I went to New Zealand. And that's only when I after graduated college."

"Ahh . . ." she hiccupped.

"You? Do you still love Matti?" he finished the bottle in one drink.

"Yes!" she raised her empty glass. Her voice became a bit louder, which caught the attention of the people in the other table.

It has only been 2 years since the last time she saw Matti. It seems like the feeling she has for Matti is hard to fade away.

"Uh . . . Ari? I think you're drunk. Let's go?" Jayden insisted.

"No, I'm not drunk! I love Matti . . . I still love Matti!" she then laughed.

"Tell me where you live." His voice became serious.

"North Delta Condominiums. 6th Floor, door F21." She hiccupped again.

"Let's go, baby girl." He pulled her up and got out of the bar.

Ariella isn't a drinker herself. She's alcohol intolerant. It's a good thing Jayden brought her home early before she pukes herself. The condominium is just in this mall and it's just a few walks away.

"Your card or key?" Jayden asked while trying to make Ariella stand properly.

"Here." She giggled and squeezed his left forearm amusingly.

He pulled her to her bed and made her lay down. He even took off her shoes.

He stood beside the sleeping Ariella, whom he called his baby girl. It became their endearment ever since in high school.

They're a group of three friends. Ariella's the only girl, though. Baby girl and baby boy became an endearment ever since David, their other friend starts calling her that. It became a daily 'ritual' and they got used to calling each other by that endearment.

"I'll just leave you here, okay? Good night, Ari. Sleep well"

As he was about to turn his back away from her, he felt a hand gripped his wrist. He turned to her and saw that she's awake.

"Where are you going, Matti? Don't ever leave me again" she pulled his wrist so hard it made Jayden fell on her bed, beside her.

"Ariella? What's going on?" he's confused by her act.

Ariella turned her body facing him and traced his jawline with her fingers. She then jumped abruptly on top of him and cupped his face.

Jayden's eyes became wide. He gulped multiple times and held her by the waist. He's still confused. What's she trying to do?

And that's when the most unexpected part came into the picture. She kissed Jayden! Or Matti? Well, that's whom she thought.

Her grip on his collar tightens. The kiss was passionate and torrid at first, and then it slowed down until Ari stopped.

She started to cry and tears were ceaselessly streaming down her cheeks. Her forehead rested against his. Her shoulders were shaking.

Meanwhile, Jayden was panting. He was unaware of what just had happened. While their foreheads are on each other's, Jayden wiped away Ariella's tears and hushed her.

"It's okay . . . You are just, dreaming. Go to sleep" he gently pushed her away from him and placed her beside him. He stroked her hair and kissed her forehead.

He went into her bathroom and freshened up. He smelt like alcohol. Both of them smelt like alcohol. He couldn't erase the thought of the incident earlier. He knew that she hasn't moved on. Maybe, he could help her, somehow?

__

"Have you had your first kiss?" Matti asked in the car; on their way to school.

"I've never had a boyfriend, so how would I even have one?"

"Ah . . . just to change the topic. What type of guy do you like?" she looked at him upon hearing that question.

"Simple." She smiled. He waited for the answer. It looks like that was the answer to his question.

"So . . . a simple guy?" he asked.

"Yep! Simple. As long as he respects me . . .and a nice guy too. Well that's . . . probably enough for me. He doesn't have to pretend to be 'somebody else'. All I want is that he is simple and true to himself."

"Am I simple to you?" he looked at her.

"Don't tell me . . . you are crushing on me already, huh?" she faked being shocked and then laughed.

"Ha. Ha. As if." He then became silent on the way to their campus.

If only she knew . . .

_______

To be continued . . .